GM Crunch and the Frozen Oath (Inactive)

Game Master Saving Cap'n Crunch

Welcome, new and returning Pathfinders! If you're reading this, I hope you'd like to play The Frozen Oath.

If you post here, it'd help to mention if you came here from my last game or from the Cottonseed Lodge. I'll know, but it lets others who plan on signing up in on it as well. If there are any questions, please lay 'em on me.

Zordox is in! Wizard from the last session upgrading for this session.

Present, returning (re-burning?) from the last game.

I heard your summons from the Cottonseed lodge. I've had a druid concept in my head, I might make her a reality.

Alternatively I have a level 5 cleric with a dash of monk. I might bump her up to level 10 for this.

Arkandru Pavlencas, reporting for duty, Wenture Keptain! Ranger 5 (multiclass cleric) in your last game, switching to Cleric 10 (multiclass ranger) in this one. Should have the statblock and tagline updated shortly.

Hmm, I can't create a new alias on this website - it redirects me to the forums. Anyone else having that problem?

And of course, as soon as I post that it fixes itself.

I've made all of the level up and purchase decisions for this character. Now I just need to pick the spells and clean up this character sheet. I'll be ready tomorrow.

All is good! I got a sixth person in, they should be around shortly along with Thorax. I'll post some introductory material tomorrow morning, but we'll still probably wait a few days past everyone's check-in to get into the mechanics.

Sounds good. I fixed my character sheet, so I should be good to go.

I think I’ve got Arkandru where I want him. Held onto some gold in case there’s a chance to shop after the briefing, but if not I’ll buy some more gear before we start.

GM Crunch, please open the gameplay thread for dotting when you have a moment. I keep forgetting and closing the tab for this discussion thread and then have to go back to the last game to find the link.

Gameplay is up, completely forgot about that for a moment!

Late to the party, now I gotta rebuild him.

Took me over five hours to build him. Also, thanks to the multitalented feat, which humans, half-orcs and half-elfs can take, which is in the update, I have two Multiclass dedications. Paladin and Rogue. He is down a resonance point cause he is investing in a magical item.

So - a question about encumbrance.

You are carrying more weight than you can manage. If you’re encumbered, decrease your Speed by 10 feet, to a minimum of 5 feet. This applies to every movement type you have. You also increase your armor’s check penalty by 2, or take a –2 check penalty if you’re unarmored.

I built Arkandru using Hero Lab Online, and when I added enough gear to make him encumbered, HLO applied a -2 penalty to his Armor Class (and TAC), as well as to his armor check penalty. I don't see any reference to a penalty to AC in the Rulebook - am I missing something, or is Hero Lab wrong? If HLO is wrong, I would like to purchase the cold iron warhammer I gave up to keep him unencumbered.

Looking through the rulebook, updates, and boards, it doesn't look to me as if there's an AC penalty. Let's go without it, I'd say.

Purchasing last of my equipment now. I spent the better part of today just reading through the CRB. Feel I have a better grasp on the system, but I'll probably still be picking your brain for answers ^_^

First question! Resonance Points:

I know I have to expend a Resonance Point when I drink a Potion or Elixir, and that I "invest" Resonance Points into Invested Items at the start of each day, but what about weapons, armor, or a wayfinder?

Here is a list of all my magic items:

Potion of Moderate Healing (x4)
Winter Wolf Elixir (x2)
+1 shortbow
+2 dogslicer
+2 studded leather
wayfinder
boots of elvenkind
demon mask
knapsack of halflingkind

Of my 14 Resonance Points, I believe I need to Invest 7 at the start of each day, and then I have 7 remaining to activate my 4 potions or 2 elixirs if need be.

Bonus question: The knapsack creates 4 tarts every day that I can eat to heal HP. Eating a tart doesn't require a Resonance Point, does it?

Thank in advance!

If the gear has the "Invested" trait, you have to spend 1 RP each day to equip it. The wayfinder doesn't have the trait, so it doesn't cost RP to use. However, the wayfinder does have a slot for an aeon stone, and you must invest in that.

The knapsack has the "Invested" trait so you do need an RP for that. But it looks like the berries aren't like potions, so I don't think you need RP.

I'm not the GM, but that's what I would rule.
Resonance still sucks.

On emcumbrance - thanks for the ruling. Arkandru does buy the cold iron warhammer before they leave.

Weapons and armor don’t generally require investing, as I understand it. Arkandru invests his staff of healing every day, which also uses resonance for activation, and uses charges. And yet I’m sure I’ve heard at least one of the devs say the system was intended to reduce bookkeeping.

The most important thing about resonance is that it won’t be included in the final version of PF2.

Arkandru was the in-character reason why Thorax now knows Medicine!

And also cooking. Because peppering a slab of fleshgolem isn't that much different from rubbing healing herbs on an injury.

Resonance still sucks.

The most important thing about resonance is that it won’t be included in the final version of PF2.

Agreement!

But yeah, I think that explains it pretty well. I feel like somewhere it says we now have 10 RP, and our Focus Points (which replace Spell Points) are also used for some item-related activity. But right now my memory's foggy.

10+Cha mod, I believe. But good to hear it's going away!

Arkandru's final purchases:

Cold iron warhammer (60gp)
Feather step stone (6gp)
Feather token - ladder (2gp)
Feather token - tree (26gp)

I have a heavy, front-loaded work week, so it may be a few more days before I can get purchases added to profile. Also, as I am relatively unfamiliar with available magic items for PF2, I'd welcome any suggestions for 10th level Fumbus.

Miladistra has the Forager feat, so she can always find enough food for herself without dipping into rations. If she rolls well enough she can help someone else eat, too.

More rations for the party

Thorax also has Forager, and since he's a Bigbelly Goblin, he can subsist on garbage ^_^

His lifelong dream came true during another playtest adventure where the party fought a flesh golem. It'd be like real world me fighting an animated snickerdoodle!

Does Wall of fire have to touch the ground? I realized I can make a 2nd wall of fire, extending outward from the other one like a T, but have it as a roof. In the 2d Map, it would look like it cut through the middle of the party, but if the map was 3d, you would actually see the wall above the parties head, with the edge sitting on top of the first wall. The roof would actually be 10 feet above our heads, extending up to 20 feet.

The spell explains that the wall must be vertical.

To clarify Vertical meaning I can't lay it on its side, which I'm not going to do. It would still be vertical, but it would be a wall on top of a wall in the shape of a T or a +.

That wouldn't be "vertical" then ^_^

EDIT: Wall of Ice, on the other hand, need not be vertical. You could form a "T" or "roof" with two castings of that.

Yeah, unfortunately it doesn't look as if that would work with the RAW. I'll resolve everyone else's actions; Harry, feel free to change yours or keep it as is.

So I'm trying to look up spell DCs, and the Rulebook is disorganized.

We're level 10, so I have a +10 proficiency bonus.
I have 20 Wisdom, so I get a +5 bonus to my spell casting DC.

So do my spells start at DC 15 or DC 25?

DC starts at 25.

I'm keeping what I originally did. I have a plan and plenty of backup plans. The idea of putting fire on top of fire 3D came after the original plan, I thought of it way after the first cast.

Hooo-kay, 15 new posts on the Gameplay thread while I was at the office. I’ll try to get caught up quickly.

Melee strike(+2 dogslicer) v yellow]1d20+17-5

Great thing about dogslicers is they have the Agile Weapon Trait!

Agile: The multiple attack penalty you take on the second attack each turn with this weapon is –4 instead of –5, and –8 instead of –10 on the third and subsequent attacks in the turn.

^_^

Hehe, my Cleric/Monk took full advantage of the Agile trait, whether by fist or whip!

Do we want to do an optional encounter? The scenario runs long, although not longer than it should, it just has plenty of things. I'm in no hurry.

I know what the optional encounter is as I Dmed this, but it is a yes from me just cause I want to do the whole thing and not because I know what it is.
To all thinking about it. You might only get to play this once as the playtest is completely over in 4 months, thus you might not get another shot at this scenario.

Ooh, that's a good point, actually.

Oh right. Doomsday is in August.
Let's do it, then.
Also, I have no idea what's behind there.

You mean the question is to murder... Or *not* murder?

Sounds good. I’ve positioned Arkandru and Trofimir.

Was the wail a trap? Or did he just fail his Perception with Trap Spotter?

Everyone where they want to be? I am. We can do this guys. 6 of us and 1 of him. And remember guys, Golems aren't smart, they are just like robots, they can only do what they are programmed to do. Think of it as fighting a dumb AI in a video game.

You mean the question is to murder... Or *not* murder?

Another good point. Time for the murder times!

Was the wail a trap? Or did he just fail his Perception with Trap Spotter?

Accounts may vary. Traps seem to have stats and various DCs, this didn't. It just says to do the thing if the niches are disturbed. So I don't think it could be found normally, maybe with magic. But it happened and the results aren't too disastrous.

I admit that I don't know much about PF2 spells, but what is making cantrips deal 6d10?

I love that it's working out for us that way, but it does seem a little broken.

I assume Golems are still weird against magic

I admit that I don't know much about PF2 spells, but what is making cantrips deal 6d10?

I love that it's working out for us that way, but it does seem a little broken.

It seems to be something specific to this golem and cold spells - cone of cold was changed to 6d10 damage as well.

Yeah, golems have a new approach to their magic immunity. In the ones I've run, all of them are immune to most spells, weak to certain elements (which deal a high set damage against them), healed by another element, slowed by another, and interacts as normal or weirdly with some other spells.